


Christmas With The Coopers

by rancheel



Series: When You Depart From Me Sorrow Abides, and Happiness Takes His Leave [4]
Category: British Actor RPF, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Arguing, Aunt-Nephew Relationship, Brother-Sister Relationships, Doctor Who References, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, First fights, Gen, Light Angst, Sister-Sister Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:21:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21548269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rancheel/pseuds/rancheel
Summary: Tom and Noelle have a bit of an argument when Tom's back from shooting Kong: Skull Island and has to find where Noelle's run off to once they've both blown off some steam.
Relationships: Tom Hiddleston & Original Character(s), Tom Hiddleston & Original Child Character(s), Tom Hiddleston & Original Female Character(s), Tom Hiddleston & Original Male Character(s), Tom Hiddleston/Original Character(s), Tom Hiddleston/Original Female Character(s)
Series: When You Depart From Me Sorrow Abides, and Happiness Takes His Leave [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1272005
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My original plans were to write some angst for these two (finally), but it's coming up on Christmas, you know? I don't wanna write angst to the point where I cry while writing it. So, I dug this up outta the archives and revamped the hell out of it. I'm posting this a few days ahead of my schedule because (technically) I've been working on this literally since LAST YEAR and I'm itching to get Christmas fluff out. Enjoy!

Noelle was sitting in her childhood kitchen at the dining table, holding a mug of hot coffee as if it were a life raft with her in the middle of the ocean.

She may have been crying, but who was to say?

It was four days before Christmas now, and her and Tom had a.. _Discussion._

 _Yeah, a discussion that ended in tears and you leaving to hide away at your parents' home_ , her brain casually mentioned, which caused a quiet groan to leave Noelle’s mouth and press her forehead down on her forearm to try and stop the tears that were stinging in her eyes once more.

“Noelle?” 

Noelle just let out a grunt as she kept her head on her arm, her free hand still holding onto the coffee mug. She heard a laugh before a hand patted her back.

“Noelle, you’re acting like you’re hungover.”

“I wish that was the case,” Noelle mumbled before slowly pulling herself up to sit straight, looking right at her younger sister, Grace. Her sister’s face pulled into a look of concern.

“Woah, you alright? You look...”

Noelle rose a brow as Grace tried to find a word, her hand moving to her side. Grace just huffed and moved quickly to sit across from Noelle.

“Okay, not to be rude, you look like shit.”

Noelle snorted and cupped her mug with both hands as she looked into it.

“Thanks, Grace.”

“You’re welcome,” Grace replied, placing her keys on the table between them as she ran a hand through her hair. “Seriously though, what the hell happened?”

Noelle sighed and finally moved to take a sip of her coffee, not even wincing at the heat as she contemplated to tell Grace everything that’s happened.

Grace wouldn’t tell Jack and Dylan, would she? They’d kill Tom before he even had the chance to try and visit his family, and Noelle may be mad that he’s been putting everything in front of them and their relationship, but she couldn’t help but feel guilty if he didn’t spend time with his sisters.

“‘Elle—”

“Tom and I had an argument.”

Grace seemed taken aback and clasped her hands together, starting to look calm.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, we uh..” Noelle nodded slowly and pursed her lips before smacking them together. “Had a domestic.. _yup_.”

Grace took in a slow breath before getting up and making her way around the kitchen expertly.

Noelle felt like she was preparing to be scolded by her mother, but her mother and father were out at the shops and it was her 19 year old sister who was fixing herself a mug of coffee.

Grace was back in front of her in a matter of minutes, still mixing her coffee with a spoon and her hair suddenly tied up into a small ponytail.

“Spill.”

Noelle let out a quiet laugh and moved a hand to gently swipe over her raw eyes, taking in a deep breath.

“Well, Tom just got back from filming Kong for the holidays on the 20th—”

“The one with that Larson chick we both find pretty attractive?”

“Yeah, Brie,” Noelle confirmed quickly, sipping at her coffee again before rubbing her thumb along the cleaner side of the rim, “I’ve been recently feeling like Tom’s been kind of..”

How could Noelle describe it? She’s been mulling it over since last night and honestly had really thought she’s been over thinking what she said. She didn’t want to sound _that_ stupid to Grace.

But it’s her sister. How stupid could she sound?

“Kind of ignoring me? You know, with all the roles he’s been taking on and working with and everything, I just felt like he forgot all about me and just decided to dig into his work and just forget I existed. I went to talk with him about it and he said some... _things_ ,” Noelle explained as vague as she could before taking a long sip of her somewhat cool coffee as Grace furrowed her brows and leaned forwards on her elbows after sipping her coffee.

“Can you elaborate what things or would you rather I assume?”

Noelle kept sipping for a moment to think if she’d like to relay what Tom had said when he lashed out at her, only to get a laugh from Grace.

“That coffee has got to be hurting your throat by now.”

Noelle finally stopped and placed the mug down to take another breath. “Actually, my throat doesn’t hurt that bad. It’s kinda cooled down.”

Grace made a clicking sound with her tongue and took another tiny sip of her coffee before waving a hand Noelle’s way.

“So, don’t wanna share with the class?”

“Not particularly, no. Just know that I was offended enough to come here for shelter,” Noelle said softly before forcing a small smile. Grace let out a soft sigh and moved to take a small sip of her coffee once more.

“I’ll take what I can get, then. Do Mum and Dad know?”

Noelle shook her head before watching her coffee in the mug swirl around. “They think that I was able to come here earlier than Tom.”

“Are you ever gonna like, tell them? At least Mum?”

Noelle just shrugged at the question.

“She’d try to pry and assume the worst, I don’t need my mother telling me what to do in my relationship,” Noelle reasoned with a sigh before letting go of her coffee mug to lean back in her chair and rub her bare face with her hands. Grace made an agreeing sound as Noelle heard her sipping from her mug.

The girls shared a thin veil of silence between them in the kitchen as they sat together for a moment.

Noelle’s mind was still going too fast for her to keep up.

Her thoughts bounced from her family, to Tom, to Tom’s family. She felt like she was itching to go upstairs to her old room and grab her phone and finally turn it on after a whole day of having it off just to see if Tom’s tried to reach out to her.

Another part of her really wanted to give Tom some space to cool off, since she knows he’s been stressed as of late almost just as much as her. 

And yet, a final third part of her was angry that he’d taken out his emotions on her. She was, in a way, also in the wrong since she had said some things in the heat of the moment.

Maybe it was best that they just took some time apart to find where their heads were at.

“So,” Grace started, sounding a little awkward, “I heard Jack’s kids are bringing water pistols.”

Noelle slowly separated her fingers that were covering her eyes to look at her sister between them.

“What do you mean they’re bringing water pistols?”

“What do you mean, what do I mean? They’re bringing small water pistols! There’s nothing extra to it!” Grace exclaimed, her brows furrowed in confusion as Noelle started to sit up again, her hands resting in her lap.

“I got that! But like, what are they going to need them for?”

The second Noelle asked it clicked.

“Wait wait,” she started suddenly, waving her hands around to make sure Grace didn’t start talking again, “did Jack tell his kids about when we were younger—”

“And how we used to squirt carolers from the windows when they came to the doors? _Yes,_ ” Grace finished quickly before Noelle huffed out a laugh just as Grace did.

“Donna is going to _kill_ him,” Noelle confirmed as she rubbed at her eye.

In an instant, the land line phone that was _still_ hooked up in the kitchen started to ring. 

Grace and Noelle’s head snapped to the old thing before turning to look at each other almost to ask if who could be calling.

“Do you think—”

“Does he even _have_ the home phone number?” Grace questioned quickly, already knowing what Noelle was going to ask before getting up and walking over to the wall where the phone is attached to the wall and giving Noelle one last confused look before picking up the phone.

“Hullo?” Grace asked nicely, Noelle noticing how her sister _still_ used the same stupid high pitched accent when she answered the phone, even after all these years.

Noelle found herself starting to pick at her nails due to her nerves, Grace shifting to lean against the wall she was near.

“Yes, that’s my name,” Grace quipped sarcastically.

The silence was a little longer this time before there was a hum of a voice through the phone.

“Uh,” Grace started, which made Noelle perk up and raise her brows in curiosity as Grace eyed her older sister from the wall as she started to toy with the coiled line that was attached to the phone. “I’m not too sure. I just came in from London and the house seems pretty empty.”

Noelle slowly started to stand up from her chair, starting to walk a little closer to where Grace stood.

“I can try my best. I don’t know if she still has me blocked from when I kept texting her to see if she could sneak me backstage to meet one of her hot costars.”

Noelle could faintly hear a laugh over the phone line. Her heart felt like it was in her throat. It was _his_ laugh.

“Yes! I did! Before I let you go, how’d you get the house phone?”

Noelle really wanted to snatch the phone from Grace in that moment and talk to Tom. Yet, she felt like she was stuck to the tile even though she was wearing her fuzzy Christmas tree socks she found after digging around in her old dresser long enough.

“Really? I didn’t even know you kept that sticky note she gave you. Well, I’ll let you go then. If I see her before you do or anything I’ll be sure to pass on the message.”

Grace paused for a moment, nodding to herself a bit.

“No problem, Tom. Talk to you sometime soon?” 

Once another round of goodbyes were exchanged, Grace hung up the phone and sent Noelle a small smile.

"So?" Noelle insisted.

"So," Grace started, "Tom is trying to reach you."

"Obviously, Grace! What else did he say?" Noelle replied frantically, waving her hands around for a moment. 

Grace seemed so _over_ Noelle in that instance.

"Something about giving him a ring if I talk to you before him! Take it easy! Good Christ," Grace huffed, carefully moving past her older sister to get back to her coffee. "He kept that small sticky note you gave him when you spent the holidays apart forever ago, by the way."

Noelle found herself smiling from that, intertwining her fingers together so she could try and calm herself down. "Really?"

"Yeah. That's how he had the number."

Noelle could hear the slurping from Grace's mug as she kept staring at the phone on the wall, her mind at war again.

_You could easily pick up that phone and call him back, you know. Even get your phone from upstairs and turn it back on._

Letting out an annoyed sigh, Noelle turned back around to join Grace at the table, accepting her own mug back into her hands.

"I'll call him when I'm ready."


	2. Chapter 2

Christmas Eve. It was Christmas Eve, and neither Noelle nor Tom had reached out to each other.

Noelle had no idea what to think of that fact.

There have been times where she almost cracked, thanks to Grace and her lovely older brothers constantly questioning where Tom was once they both arrived just yesterday afternoon.

And her niece and nephews asking about Uncle Tom and when he’d be coming.

It seemed almost like her family wanted him more than her.

Either way, she still gave the same enthusiastic reply of _“He’ll be here! He just has to sort some things out with work!”_ , yet she didn’t even _know_ if he would show up.

And frankly, Noelle wouldn’t blame him.

The day was full of Jack and Noelle taking care of all the little ones and keeping them entertained while everyone else, including Jack and Dylan’s wives, cooked for their Christmas Eve dinner.

It felt like it was a huge chore, having to chase a three and five year old around her childhood home with water pistols while Jack just held Melody and occasionally played with her and her toys.

Personally, she feels like she’s gotten the short stick on this.

Eventually, Ryan and Declan were tired out and Jack happily suggested a Disney film as both of the boys flung themselves onto the couch while Noelle placed the water pistols on the coffee table.

Said Disney film was The Avengers. And no, Noelle did not miss the smug look on Jack’s face the second Loki’s face showed up on the screen. She subtly flicked her brother’s ear when she pretended to be stretching. 

Once everyone on the couch was settled, the kids were invested heavily in the movie.

“Y’know you should call him,” Jack whispered quietly as he tilted his head so he could keep quiet. Noelle let out a quiet sigh as she let her eyes stop watching the scene where Natasha interrogates Loki.

“I know, Jack. After dinner, okay?”

“I recommend _now—_ ”

Jack was cut short as a firm knock came from the door. Noelle sat up slowly as the kids paid no attention.

“Jack?”

Her brother let out a distracted hum, his gaze suddenly returning to the screen. Noelle didn’t even get out her other question so she could take in a deep breath.

“You need to stop meddling with my relationships. Both romantic and _non_ -romantic.”

“I didn’t do anything!” Jack exclaimed, only to get shushed aggressively by Declan and Ryan. Noelle huffed and grabbed the most filled water pistol.

She was quick to slip off of the couch and let the kids keep enjoying the movie, easily navigating to the foyer as she started to hold the pistol tightly in her right hand.

Should she look through the peephole so she doesn’t end up making a fool of herself in front of the person if it _isn’t_ Tom? 

Noelle must have been hesitating for too long, because another knock came from the other side of the door, and the kids attention were on her.

“Auntie ‘Elle?” Declan questioned, “what are you doin’?”

“Getting ready for war, Dee, just stay over there, okay?” Noelle called over, plastering on a devious smile to get Declan, Ryan and Melody laughing. They didn’t need to know the real context of why she took a moment.

Her body finally willed herself to place her hand on the doorknob, taking a breath once more before throwing the door open.

“State your name, rank, and intention.” Noelle’s face was stern but had the tiniest hints of amusement, still holding the water pistol in front of her as she referenced the Doctor Who episode she had just watched earlier in the day before breakfast.

Tom stood on the other end of the toy. Wrapped up in his usual jacket with his glasses perched on his nose, small flecks of snow on the lenses. 

“The Doctor,” he started easily, his hands slowly rising up as if he was surrendering from a real gun, “Doctor. And uh, fun. I suppose.”

Noelle tried not to crack a smile as she slowly put her water pistol down. “I hate how you get that reference.”

“No, you don’t,” Tom replied with a smug smile.

“Maybe I don’t,” Noelle huffed, tossing the water pistol between her hands so she didn’t look up at Tom. “So. What’re really here for?”

“Well, I’m—”

“I know what you’re about to say and I’d like the _real_ reason. No one can hear you from here.”

Tom sighed, a puff of smoke passing his lips from the cold as he finally put his hands down, shoving them into his pockets.

“I came to apologize in person, since my messages weren’t apparently getting through to you.”

“Did you think that _maybe_ it was intentional?” Noelle fired back, keeping her voice leveled as she finally placed the water pistol down on the small hallway table near the door.

“I did, yes.” Tom carefully took a step forward in that moment, almost stepping over the threshold. “But I needed to talk with you.”

Noelle carefully leaned against the opposite door frame from Tom, crossing her arms over her chest. 

“Shouldn’t you be with your Mum? Your sisters?”

“Already spent time with them.”

“Is that why you’re here? Because they threatened you or something?” Noelle asked, pushing off the door frame to stand up straight. 

Tom was about to speak once more before Ryan’s voice came from the living room.

“Auntie Noelle, who is it?!” Noelle let out a small sigh and forced a smile and held a finger up just as she leaned back into the house, shutting the door slightly.

“It’s one of Santa’s elves asking if you’ve all been good! I’m just gonna pop out and have a quick word with him—”

“But Auntie!”

“I’ll say nice things about you three, I promise! Keep watching your film!” Noelle exclaimed as she carefully pulled on her coat over her sweater before she tugged on her boots over her fuzzy socks.

She could hear the childish grumbling before Jack consoled them all, already hitting play on the movie again.

Noelle moved back to the door and opened it, actually moving to step out onto the somewhat clear porch. This caused Tom to backup and end up standing on the second to last step of the stairs that led up to the small landing.

He was basically leveled with Noelle perfectly.

“Alright, now—”

“Santa’s elf? Is that all I am to you now?” Tom questioned teasingly, watching Noelle as she pulled her coat shut, glancing at the bag he placed down against the porch railing.

“I mean,” Noelle started casually as she nudged the bag gently with her shoe, “you’ve got the bag to prove it. And the cheeks too.”

“Then by that logic that means you’re _also_ somewhat of an elf, Noelle.”

Noelle rolled her eyes and let a small smile settle on her face finally as she looked at Tom. “What were you going to stay before Ryan interrupted?”

“Oh, right. Uh,” Tom started nervously as his gaze moved from Noelle, taking in a deep breath before clearing his throat, “Mum and my sisters didn’t threaten me to come out here or anything of the sort. It was you, Noelle. You made me come here.”

Noelle rose a brow and Tom was quick to take his hand out of his pocket to keep her from talking before his other hand was pulled out and he started to speak almost frantically. Both his hands seeming to go so fast she could barely keep up with his words as he didn't let his eyes catch hers.

“You were right. About what you said that night. I took on too many projects at the same time and you know how I tend to be when I’m focused—”

“Tom, you’re rambling.”

“Right, right,” Tom said quickly, clasping his hands together. “Sorry.”

“You’re fine,” Noelle reassured gently, pulling her own hand out from her coat pocket to rub at her eye before it returned to it’s warm sanctuary, “carry on about how I was right?”

Tom chuckled and nodded, now pocketing his own hands. 

“When you said I was being a.. A pompous asshole, was it? You were right. I was putting work before us, work before _everything_ , really. And I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry that I made you feel like that. I’m also sorry that accused you of doing the same even though your last gig was in October with Ben.”

Noelle let out a sigh, shuddering from the cold breath she took in for a moment, looking down at her shoes. “And _I’m_ sorry for everything I said—”

“Noelle you had every right to say what you did—”

“No, Tom.” Noelle’s eyes finally caught his, her face stern. “No I didn’t. I was mad. I said things I didn’t mean. And you did too. Just because we were angry doesn’t mean it was right to say anything we said.”

Tom felt like he could melt under Noelle’s gaze. Both just from finally seeing her for the first time in a few days and from the passion she held for the conversation at the moment.

“So I apologize for calling you a pompous asshole, and I forgive you for the assumption that I was putting things before our relationship.”

Tom couldn’t help the smile that spread onto his face and had to duck his head down from Noelle’s gaze for a moment just to find the words he wanted to say before meeting her eyes again.

“I forgive you, ‘Elle. And I’m sorry for being a bit of a prick.”

“See, now I didn’t say it this time, so it _must_ be true,” Noelle teased gently, ducking her head down to laugh and toe at some of the snow from the bushes that were close by the porch's edge. “I accept your apology.”

There was a veil of silence over the two of them for a moment before Tom went another step up to be a bit taller and closer to Noelle.

“Would you like to know how I know you only accept my apology for being a prick just a small bit?” He questioned softly, pulling a hand that was in his pocket out, gently moving it to Noelle’s chin. She hummed slightly as her head started to tilt up from Tom’s hand.

“Because you’re looking down at the ground,” Tom said in the same soft tone he held for Noelle. She shuddered for a moment as the wind picked up, her face feeling a bit warmer thanks to Tom’s hand. 

Tom was always good at reading Noelle, and apparently this was no exception.

She took in a shaky breath, leaning into Tom’s warm hand as he shifted it to cup her cheek.

“Do you mean it? The whole ‘coming here for me’ thing.”

“Of course I do, Noelle. I don’t know how I could cope without you. These past few days without you were _hell_ on me.” Tom finally pulled out his other hand from his pocket to let it cup the other side of her face. They both shuddered at the wind this time, Tom’s jacket falling open since his hands no longer kept it in place to reveal his red sweater. “I don’t _ever_ want to lose you. I was being a complete ass, and I believe you had every right to up and ditch me for a few days.”

Tom scanned Noelle’s face, noticing just how red her cheeks really were under his hands due to the cold. It only made the dusting of freckles on her face stand out more. He also noticed her eyes seemed a bit teary.

The silence between them didn’t seem as tense anymore, but softer. Gentler. Like they’ve fallen back into their own world after being in the atmosphere for so long.

“Do.. Do Santa’s Elves _all_ talk like that?” Noelle asked suddenly, her voice sounding a bit choked up as if she were about to cry. Both Tom and Noelle kept looking into each other’s eyes as they tried to stay serious before letting out small huffs of laughter. 

“Right, you’re right. We’re more well spoken,” Tom said finally, recovering from his laughing fit as he licked his lips for a moment, watching Noelle recover from her own. “My apologies, Madam.”

“It’s okay, Elf seventy-four.”

After another round of laughter, Noelle surged forward and wrapped her arms around Tom’s waist inside his jacket, which caused him to shiver. He was quick to wrap his arms around her tightly and started to warm up almost instantly. He took a moment to look over at the curtains that kept moving around, seeing Ryan, Declan, and Jack (who was holding Melody) moving around to look at them both through the living room window.

“Looks like we’ve got a few stalkers,” Tom teased quietly, loosening his grip on Noelle so she could look at what he meant. She directed her attention to the living room window, her hands placed on Tom’s stomach. 

Noelle made eye contact with her brother, raising a questioning brow as they started to chant something.

She thinks she could read their lips, but she couldn’t make it out exactly thanks to the curtains wanting to cover the window.

“Oh my god.”

“Are they chanting what I think they’re chanting?” Tom questioned, speaking as if they had to be extremely quiet or they’d get in trouble. He let his hands slip into her coat so he could snake his arms around her waist carefully.

Noelle’s head whipped around quickly to look back at Tom, noticing a small hint of mischief in his tone.

“Want to find out?” She asked back, whispering just as soft as he was, smiling as their eyes met once more.

Tom made a clicking sound with his tongue as he pressed Noelle closer to him, craving more of her body heat.

“I would _love_ to, but Santa said you’ve been placed on the naughty list this year—”

“For christ sakes, Thomas!” Noelle exclaimed dramatically, her hands sliding up from his stomach to the collar of his sweater to finally press their cold lips together firmly, her body practically melting into his as her eyes closed. 

Tom kissed her back and kept his eyes open for a split second to see the kids and Jack cheering in the window. He was careful to pull a hand from Noelle’s waist to send them a quick thumbs up before finally giving into the kiss and tightening his grip on Noelle considerably, closing his eyes and letting himself melt into the kiss.

Much to Noelle’s dismay, they eventually parted to catch their breath. Tom letting out a soft chuckle as his cold nose nudged against hers. At this point, they were both chilled enough to where not even body heat could help them stay warm.

“D’you wanna come in? Dinner should be done by now,” Noelle whispered as she kept her eyes closed, feeling Tom’s fingers press through her own sweater. _Oh, how she missed this._

“I’d thought you’d never ask, Noelle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas! I was going to update this yesterday but I was called into work. My goal is to have this double updated today, because now that I've gotten to mostly the fluff between these two doofuses, I don't know if I'm capable of stopping (I was also watching the Doctor Who Christmas Marathon when writing, so I couldn't help but slip the reference in).


End file.
